But it likely will be the last fight for Fisher, who had hinted in the weeks leading up to the rubber match that it might be his final bout before retirement.

After his unanimous decision victory at UFC on FX 4, Stout paid tribute to his opponent.

“We’ve spent 45 minutes in that cage together,” Stout said at the post-fight press conference, which MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) attended. “We’ve got a bond together that is a pretty rare thing – to go through a trilogy like that and have three wars with the same opponent. My hat’s off to him. He’s a class act. We spoke after the fight. If I get out of the press conference before they stop selling drinks tonight, I’m going to go buy him a beer.”

Though Fisher did not attend the post-fight news conference and was not interviewed in the octagon following the loss, he told FUEL TV in a post-fight interview that his decision to retire is likely to hold up. He did leave the door open for a return, but said if that happens it will come at featherweight.

Fisher has lost five of his last six fights and three in a row. He lost his first fight against Stout by split decision more than six years ago but won a unanimous decision when the two rematched in June 2007.

But UFC president Dana White said it might be a shame if Fisher, 36, sticks with the retirement route.

“(Before the fight), Stout was saying he felt like Fisher was in his prime (for the first two fights) and now he feels like he’s in his prime and Fisher was shot,” White said. “I thought Fisher looked better tonight than he has in a long time. It won ‘Fight of the Night,’ so I think that says a lot. To be honest with you, I thought Spencer Fisher looked as good as he’s ever looked tonight – so maybe he’ll rethink (retirement).”

Fisher lost with unanimous 30-27 scores, most likely thanks to Stout’s success in the takedown department, taking advantage of what Fisher has admitted is the weakest part of his game.

UFC on FX 4 took place at Revel Atlantic City in New Jersey. The event’s main card aired on FX, and the prelims aired on FUEL TV and streamed on Facebook.